Method of and apparatus for inspecting and searching lace fabrics



June 19, 1928. 1,673,822

F. G. HINSDALE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING AND SEARCHING LACE FABRICS Original Filed 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 74? WMW ,4 TTORNEYS June 19, 1928.

F. G. HINSDALE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FQR INSPECTING: AND SEARCHING LACE FABRICS Original Filed Jan. 12, 1923 s-sh 'c -S 2 E 0 m m m M 5 a wmfl H M 5 M 6m; m R f m? latentecl June 19,1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

FRANK GILBERT HINSDALE, 01? NEW YoRx, N. Y.

METHOD or AND APPARATUS FOR 'INSPECTING AND SEARCHING LACE rA RIos;

Original application filed January 12, 1923, Serial No. 612,176.. Divided and this application filed I 0ctober29, 1925'. Serial No. 65,541.

My invention relates to the manufacture of lace fabrics such as lace curtains, and has for its object to provide a novel and simple apparatus for inspecting and searching the curtains or other lace fabric for defects and imperfections and to detect deficiencies in the weaving thereof. -()ther objects of the invention will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be ointed out in the claims. The present app ication is a division of another application filed by me on January 12, 1923, Serial Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate examples of the invention without defining its limits, and in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the novel method; Figs. 2 and 3-are front and end views respectively illustrating examples of the improved apparatus which may be used for'carrying out the method; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 55 of Fig.4; F igf6 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating latch members forming part of the apparatus and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

In describing the method, reference will be had to the diagrammatic illustration of Fig. 1. The lace fabric in the form of curtains or otherwise, after having been woven in any usual manner may be doffed' from the loom in any convenient way, and then is inspected and searched in the following novel manner, this being done to check up the work of the weaver and t'o'detect poor weaving and other defects and imperfections in the curtains. p

The lace curtains or other lace fabrics of a given weaving operation are first preferably all sewed together in a continuous length or web and wound up on a spit-bar in a roll a from which the lace fabric is. withdrawn over a canvas screen 6 and rolled up on a roll 0. While the lace fabric passes over the screen 6, a careful search is conducted for such imperfections as mayexist therein; as each imperfection is found, the travel of the lace fabric from the roll a to the roll 0 is temporarily suspended and said lace fabric is amended to cure said imperfection, for instance by being drawn around a mending machine d, whereby the mending is per formed, the machine 03 being located in close I [proximity to the screen 7). After this has been done, windingof the lace fabric from the roll a to the roll 0 is resumed until the next imperfection is reached, whereupon the same is mended, this operation being repeat' ed as often as required until the lace fabric has been completely transferred from the roll 01 to the roll 0.

Subsequently the lace fabric may be made upinto kier lots, or said fabric may be otherwise disposed of.

While the improved method may be car'- ried out in any convenient manner, the machine shown by way of example in Figs. 2-7 of the drawings is preferred for this purpose. i

This machine comprises a base 10 and oppositely located uprights 11 provided at their upper ends with recesses 12 and with longitudinally extending slots 13; a tie-rod 14 connects the uprights llto stabilize the machine. At their upper endssaid uprights carry outwardly pro ecting arms 15 secured in place in any convenient manner and connected by means of a guide rod 16; a similar guide rod 17 is fixed in brackets 18 secured to said uprights near the base 10.-

A drum 19 is 'journaled in suitable bearings'on the uprights 11' and at'its one end is provided for instance, with a bevel gear 20.

The latter is arranged in mesh with abevel pinion 21 mounted upon a countershaft 22 rotatably mounted in bearings 23 and carrying loosely a'pulley 24 arranged for connection with a motor or other source of power; a suitable clutch'25 is provided for operatively connecting the pulley 24 with the shaft 22 when it is desired to operate the machine. The-latter further includes slides 26 movable lengthwise of the slots'13 and each provided with pivotedlatch members 27 for the receptionof a spit-bar 28. In the illustrated example, the arrangement comprises duplicate latch members 27 provided with recesses 29 forthe reception of the ends of said spit-bar 2S and having lugs 30 projecting from said recesses for the purpose to be more fully set forth hereinafter. The latch. members 27 includes suitable manipulating handles 31 and are pivoted at 32 upon the slides'26 which as previously set forthare fitted to slide vertically in the slots 13 of the upright-s 11, suitable stops 33 being provided on said slides for arresting the pivotal movements of said latch members in one direction. The slides themselves may be slidably fixed in said slots by means of plates 34 clamped in place by means of clamp screws 35 and clamp nuts 36, springs 37 being provided for maintaining said clamp nuts 36 against unintentional loosening; as shown in the drawings, the clamp screws 35 may comprise integral parts of the stops 33 it being understood that, normally, the clamp screws 35 serve to maintain the parts of the slides in operative connection without interfering with the sliding movements thereof in the slots '13. If desired, liners 38 of fibre or other suitable material maybe located between the slides 26 andthe uprights 11 and between said slides and the plates 34:, as illustrated in Fig.

In utilizing the searching machine shown in the drawings, the spit-bar on which the roll of lace a is supported is placed in the recesses 12 to rotatably support said roll of lace a upon the uprights 11 and the lace is drawn over the guide-rods 1 6 and 17 and inwardly from the latter to the spit-bar 28. As the drum 19 is rotatably actuated through the medium of the gearing 20, 21. and countershaft 22, said spit-bar 23 will be rohated my a direction to wind the lace thereon in the form of the roll 0. During the transfer of the lace from the roll a to the roll a, it passes over the guide-rods 16 and Hand, between the latter, presents'the form of a vertical panel capable of being quickly and thoroughly searched for defects; in the. preferred construction the screen 5 of canvas, previously referred to, islocated behind the lace inregistry with saidverticalpanel and is supported in any convenient manner as by being suitably attached to the arms 15 and brackets, 18 for instance by means of clips I). A work board 39 may be included in the searching machine tofacilitate thisisearching of said lace. As thewinding up ofthe lace upon the spit-bar 28 proceeds and the diameter of the roll of'lace c progressively increases, the spit-bar 28 will gradually move away from the drum 19 and raise the slides 26 in the slots 13 1 during this operation clamp nuts 36 are loosened and the ends of the spit-bar 28' are journalled inthe recesses 29 of the latch members 27. and are held thereby against displacement whereby the roll of lace, 0 is maintained in proper operative relation to said drum .19. When the aforesaid operation has been completed, the clamp nuts 36 are tightened to fix the slides 26in place and the latch members 27 are thrown up on the pivots 32 by means of the handles. 31, which causes the lugs 30 to raise the spit-bar 28 and its roll of lace 0, whereby the latter is liftedaway from the drum 19 a sufficient distance to clear thesame; in this position of the latch members 27, the recesses 29 are outwardly open, so that the spit-bar 28 may be rolled forwardly on said lugs 30 and easily removed from the machine with the roll of lace 0. It will be understood that, in practice, the searching machine just described is preferably located in operative proximity to the mending machine-d so that as defects inv mending thereof may be immediately accomplished as previously set forth.

Various changes in thespecific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. a

I claim:

1. A searching machine for lace fabrics in the form of continuous webs, comprising a base, brackets projecting outwardly from said base in spaced relation to each other," a lower guide rod extending between and carried by said brackets, oppositely located, uprights projecting upwardly from said base and provided at their upper ends with open recesses for rotatably supporting a roll of fabric, arms projecting outwardly fromfisaid uprights, an upper, guide rod extending between and carried by said arms, said web of fabric passing from said roll over said guide rods and being positioned thereby in the form of a vertical panel, andmechanisnron said base whereby said web of'fabric is rewound in the form of a roll after itpasses over said lower guide rod. t

2. A searching machine for-lace fabrics in the form of continuous webs, comprising. a base, brackets projecting outwardly, from saidbase in spaced,relation'toeach other, a lower guide rod extending between and carried by said brackets, oppositely located uprights projecting upwardly from said base and provided attheir upper ends with open recesses for rotatably supporting a roll of fabric, arms projecting outwardly fromsaid uprights, anv upper guiderod extending be tween and carried by said arms invvertical registry with said lower guide rod, a screen located in, vertical position between said guide rods, clips on saidscreen for connecting it with said guide rods, said web of fabric passing from said rollof fabricover said guide-rods and screen in the'formiof a vertical panel, and mechanism on saidbase whereby said web of fabric is rewound in the form ofa rollafter it passes over-said lower guide rod.

In testimony whereof I. have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK GILBERT 'HINSDA-LE. I

the lace are discovered, the 

